Hedcor saves hawk-eagle anew

Henri Andi narrates how he saved the Southern Philippines Hawk-eagle in Sibulan River.

Another wounded eagle has been rescued along the Sibulan River in Davao del Sur after Bagobo-Tagabawa farmer, Henry Andi, shooed a gang of crows attacking the eagle and sought Hedcor’s help for its immediate turnover to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF). This is the second eagle saved by Hedcor after it successfully helped Mabikkerr – a Pinsker’s Hawk-eagle – in 2015.

According to PEF, the eagle is an adult Southern Philippine Hawk-eagle, a family of eagle that is already endangered and therefore in need of humans’ protection.

“The eagle is so weak and dehydrated,” said PEF biologist Giovanne Tampos.

The attack injured the eagle’s left wing and disabled it to fly and stand. Fortunately, through the teamwork among the Provincial Environmental and Natural Resources, Hedcor, and the local residents of the community of Barangay Sibulan like Henry, has been educated through Hedcor’s Information Education Campaigns on birds protection. This initiative and the community’s cooperation, Henry, with Hedcor’s assistance, timely did the right action.

Currently, the found hawk-eagle is under the care of the foundation and is getting better.

“The hawk-eagle is still under observation; the food ration is given with vitamins; and though the wound on its left wing still needs medication, gladly, the eagle can now stand and eat on its own,” confirmed by Tampos.

After two weeks of observation, the eagle’s weight increased to 900 grams from 750 grams. Its average normal weight is 1500 grams.

Hedcor hopes that this eagle will be soaring soon back to the wild like Mabikkerr. In 2015, after 37 days of intensive care by Hedcor’s wildlife veterinarian consultant Dr. Bo Puentespina, Mabikkerr, a Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle was released by Bagobo-Tagabawa Berny Apal and Hedcor’s president Rene Ronquillo back to the protected forest of Mt Apo National Park.